WASHINGTON—CIA nominee John Brennan is pledging to bring openness to the CIA and repair a "trust deficit" with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Brennan acknowledged on Thursday that critics have accused the White House of failing to be as forthcoming with Congress and the public on national security issues as President Barack Obama promised to be as president.

Brennan said he would be candid and blunt, and give lawmakers, in his words, "straight answers from me, maybe not always ones you will like."

He commented at his Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing,

Committee chairman Dianne Feinstein of California asked Brennan to act on that pledge by making the top-secret memo on White House drone policy available to her staffers as well as to committee members.